Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Nissan is introducing the new 'Forest AC' air conditioning system, developed for use in the one of their new models, the 'Fuga'. The Fuga is scheduled for release later in their fiscal year.

The new 'Forest AC' air conditioning system systematically controls the temperature, ventilation, aroma and humidity inside the car to create a pleasant interior environment for the passengers. It uses a number of advanced technologies to recreate the refreshing climate, fragrance and natural breezes one would expect to find in calm, natural forest surroundings.The system has been developed based on the results of a collaborative research study with the Tokyo University of Science. The study found that certain aromas have certain effects on human mental activity which obviously affects a person's state of mind.

In addition to cleaning the air and controlling the temperature inside the cabin, the new system also controls air flow, humidity, aroma and other factors that may have an influence on the state of mind of both drivers and passengers alike.

According to the company, this is the first automotive system in the world that has been created to enhance the driving experience based on studies of drivers' mental activities. How technology advances... Nowadays we hear of terms such as 'Grapeseed polyphenol filter' and we immediately begin to wonder. It does sound like something fresh and even healthy right?

The system has also been designed to create gentle, fluctuating breezes within the cabin, by randomly adjusting the volume of air flow. This too, is designed to replicate the changing calm, natural breezes one would encounter in a forest setting. Sensing sunlight and outside temperatures, the system controls the ventilation patterns for optimal driver and passenger comfort by adjusting airflow in both the sunny and shady area of the cabin. This way, passengers should feel equally comfortable no matter where they sit, because the airflow would be adjusted individually for both scenarios.

So where do the fragrances come into effect? Using two unique fragrances namely "borneol" and "leaf alcohol" the system produces these fragrances to stimulate the drivers' brain activity, and also to alleviate boredom.

Borneol is made in part from fragrant Kapur wood, lavender and additional essential oils which promote calm and focus.

Leaf alcohol is found in most plants and is believed to reduce tiredness and have a calming effect.

The system uses a special aroma cartridge to produce the forest effect, which can be swapped out for a new one, once a year.

To control humidity, a sensor detects and eliminates condensation on windows, while peventing the air inside the cabin from drying out. Humidity levels are kept at around 35%-55%, which prevents the air from being too dry. Conventional A/C systems typically have humidity levels of around 20%.

The system uses a number of technologies like Plasmacluster Ions, employing a high-performance filter made from material containing natural grapeseed polyphenol, to filter out Pollen, Odors and Allergens.

The new A/C system will be available in one of Nissan's new models, the Fuga, later this fiscal year.

Related Posts :

1 comments:

Heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning are closely interrelated in their functions. All the three seek to provide required thermal comfort, ventilation, indoor air quality, and reasonable air conditioning maintenance and installation costs.